The Jazzcat

­­The World Stage Kwanzaa Music Festival

December 26 – December 30, 2013

The World Stage Performance Gallery

4344 Degnan Blvd, Los Angeles CA  90008

The World Stage Kwanzaa Music Festival is a celebration of culture, an engagement of community, and an opportunity to raise funds to continue the operation of The World Stage Performance Gallery.  The World Stage calls on its friends, patrons and supporters to contribute resources to the success of the festival.

The World Stage Kwanzaa Music Festival originated with an observation that Leimert Park is largely uneventful in the evenings during the period of Kwanzaa (Click here for more information about Kwanzaa), and music lovers, though available, have few artistic options during this period.  In 2012 Dwight Trible held a successful concert at The World Stage during this period.  This success and the opportunity to raise funds for The World Stage germinated The World Stage Kwanzaa Music Festival.

The original “brainstorm” for the Kwanzaa Music Festival (KMF) envisioned a festival that raised awareness for The World Stage, raised funding for The World Stage, and offered engaging artistry for the consumption of music lovers and supporters of The World Stage.  Activities are envisioned not only inside The World Stage, but outside as well.  The festival plans to engage merchants of the arts as well as food vendors to participate in the festival.  In order to raise awareness regarding the needs and benefits of The World Stage, the festival seeks to attract far more supporters and patrons than can fit inside The World Stage.  This will be done largely through social media in which all the artists are being asked to engage.

The World Stage plans to ask supporting artists to provide 1 set of music without cost to The Stage.  At $15 per admission The World Stage has the opportunity to bring in up to $6,000; enough to cover rent for close to 5 months.

The World Stage Kwanzaa Music Festival will include entertainment in the street outside The World Stage prior to the music sets inside The World Stage.  Councilman Herb Wesson’s office has already approved use of the street areas including the alley way between The World Stage building and the cleaners on the corner of 43^rd and Degnan.  Festival organizers have secured the participation of some art vendors and will seek food trucks to provide support during the festival.  Organizers have also reached out the building owner to request the spaces next to TWS be made available as overflow or reception areas during the event.